Konnichi' wa minna-chan!! Part four here! Again, Star Lights have NOT changed into their senshi forms, but they will soon! I hope this isn't confusing to anyone, there is a good reason for everthing that happens in this chapter, and some of it comes out in the next chapter. Sorry about the guy that is helping them from inside the negaverse, but you won't find out who he is for quiet a while. *runs from various objects thrown from readers* Gomen nasai!! he does have a name and all that, but not yet... HUGE thanks to my editors...minna you are great!! *hugs* Usual disclaimers apply, this is not mine, I don't own it, alot of other lucky peoples does own it, I would like to own it, but I don't so don't sue me, I have no money....yada...yada...yada.... Japanese Translations baka - stupid nani - what doushita no - what's wrong? matte - wait sou - right iie - no hai - yes daijobu - are you okay? doushite - why dare - who onegaishimasu - I beg you shimatta - shit ginzuishou - silver crystal minna - everyone ne - okay gomen - sorry ************************ Part IV ~ Mamoru's love Rating: PG (language) Written by: Bethany ^_^ Editors: Meara, Lunas Meow, Jesse, Aimee Author Email: Bethany212@aol.com ************************ Usagi was walking through the streets of Tokyo. "Where is everyone?" A cold blast blew against her skin, causing the fabric of Mamoru's shirt to become plastered against her skin. "Oh no, not this dream again!" A shining object flashed before her. "Come on, I have to wake up!" she screamed, but to no avail. She tried pinching herself. "Ouch! Does that mean I'm not dreaming? Mamo-chan! Please, please help me!" she cried. A light flashed, but instead of the knife that Usagi usually seen, the light was replaced by Mamoru. "Mamo-chan!" Usagi cried, running toward him. Just feet before she got to him, she noticed another woman with him. "Who's. . .who's this?" Mamoru smirked. "Baka Usagi, you have no idea, do you?" "Na. . .nani?" Usagi stumbled back, grabbing for something to keep her upright. She watched in horror as Mamoru kissed a tall green haired woman. "Setsuna-chan?" The woman laughed. "Baka Usagi, a crybaby, klutz and a horrible leader. Ha ha! you think Mamoru loves you? He used you to become king, but now he no longer needs you. Especially since he has me!" Again she leaned over to kiss Mamoru. "NO! Mamoru loves me! He does!" "I never loved you, but your innocence allowed me to use you, and now. . .lose you. Remember all of those times we went to the time gate? Remember how you used to be so jealous of me and Rei-chan? It worked out perfectly, never once did you think that I didn't care for you at all!" Usagi let out a scream of horror and ran down the street as fast as she could. "No! Mamoru loves me. . .he has to love me!" But the images of him kissing Setsuna rushed in her mind. All of those times that she had seen him talking to the guardian of the time gate, now it made sense. He wasn't discussing the time line, or the future. But was actually discussing how he would leave her once he was king. "Noooo. . ." she cried one last time before coming to the edge of a cliff. "Without him, I am nothing. I have nothing. . ." As she prepared to jump an arm caught her. "Mom?" Usagi turned around to see a small girl who looked remarkably like herself, with pink hair up in pointed buns and ponytails; she reminded Usagi of a bunny. "Chibi-Usa?" "Mom, please don't jump, I need you." the child cried. "Oh Chibi-Usa. . ." Usagi turned from the cliff to hug her daughter. "Mamo-chan doesn't love me, what am I going to do?" "Mom, you can't let him do this to you. Get rid of him, you deserve better." "How can you say that about your father?" Usagi asked in wonder. Chibi-Usa smiled. "It doesn't matter, Mamoru; he can't do that to you." ***** Chibi-Usa helped Usagi back to her apartment and told her to get some sleep. Once out of sight, Lady transformed to her true self. Her red hair flowing back away from her face, she sruntched up her nose, brown slits of color watching the the living room where Mamoru and Chibi-Usa were trying to revive Usagi. "Being trapped in a twelve year olds body is horrible!" she said to herself. "Now to make sure that she leaves him." Rubbing her hands together she pulled back all of the negative energy that had kept Usagi asleep, and retreated to the Negaverse to watch the show that would play out. ***** "Ohh, my head. . ." Usagi mumbled, waking up. Slowly she recognized that she was being held by Mamoru. Memories came seeping back into her mind. "Get away from me!" she screamed at him. Mamoru's eyes flashed hurt as he let go of her. "Usako, doushita no?" Usagi hardened her eyes. "Get away from me! Leave this minute!" "Nani?" Mamoru stood back. "I said leave, and you too!" she cried, pointing to Sailor Pluto. "I will no longer stand your betraying presence, leave!" Both Mamoru and Sailor Pluto, too stunned at her hard words to move, and they just stared at her. "Fine, don't leave - I will." Usagi stood up and grabbed both her and Chibi-Usa's jackets. "Come Small Lady, I will not stay here one minute longer." "Matte!" Mamoru shouted, "Small Lady is my daughter also, I will not let you take her. You need to rest!" he begged. Her eyes glared into his. "Try and stop me. You have already betrayed me, I will not let you take my daughter as well. I hope you and Pluto are happy," she spit, turning on her heel and leaving. Mamoru fell to his knees and put his head in his hands. "What did I do?" he asked, but no one had an answer for him. Mars stood up. "Well we can't leave her unprotected, let's go!" "Sou!" All the Inners followed Usagi to the door. Ikuko and Kenji had sat through the whole scene in utter silence. Mamoru stood up and ran to the door. "Usako!" he called. She marched to the elevator, Chibi-Usa beside her. Her head stayed up defiantly until the doors almost completely closed. That's when Mamoru saw her fall to her knees, and begin to cry uncontrollably. "Usako!" he started to go after her, but a strong hand held him back. "No Mamoru-san," Jupiter said. "Let us, we'll get to the bottom of this." Mamoru looked wistfully at the elevator before being guided back in by the Lights. "Come on," Seiya suggested, "You need to lie down, using all that energy has drained you." Mamoru nodded and followed him back in. ***** "Mom?" Chibi-Usa asked. Usagi was hugging the younger girl tightly. Chibi-Usa hugged her back, confused, but determined to be there when her mother needed her. "Oh Chibi-Usa, he doesn't love me! He never loved me! He loves Setsuna!" Chibi-Usa furrowed her eye brows together in the same fashion that Usagi had seen Mamoru do countless times. "Mama, of course he loves you." "Iie, iie he doesn't. He told me. He was using me to become king," she cried, still holding on to the small body. The elevator doors opened. On the other side was the inner senshi, looking worriedly toward their princess. "Usagi-chan, what happened?" Makoto asked, helping her up. Usagi leaned on her for support. "Can I stay with you for a couple of days Mako-chan?" "Of course," Makoto answered. "But Usagi-chan, why? what happened?" Usagi remained quiet until they reached Makoto's apartment. They went inside and Usagi laid down on the sofa. She saw her guardians talking softly at the table. "Minna?" Everyone looked up. "Hai?" "Don't tell Mamoru where I am. Promise you won't." All of them reluctantly promised. ***** "Excellent! Absolutely wonderful!" Beryl laughed in triumph. "It is almost time to act, you have done well Lady." "Thank you my queen." Beryl again looked into her crystal ball. "Not long now, not long at all. You may take the night off. I think things will go on their own from here for a while." Lady stood up from where she had been bowing. "Thank you." ***** Haruka slowly stood up and walked out to the balcony. There she found Mamoru sitting in the corner, knees drawn up. "Mamoru-san?" He made no movement to indicate he knew she was there. She sat silently next to him. In his hand she could see that he was playing with something. On closer look she made out a picture of him and Usagi on their wedding day. "Mamoru-san, daijobu?" Mamoru looked up. Haruka made a small gasp but hid it. "Doushite? I love her more than anything in this entire universe or beyond, and she thinks that I've been unfaithful? You know there is no one for me but her, no one," he repeated, again looking back at the picture. "I think someone is making Usagi think this; some unknown enemy that has something to do with all that's happened," Haruka said, trying to get Mamoru out of the depression he had been in for a week-since Usagi left. "Dare?" Mamoru demanded. "I don't know," Haruka replied, going back inside. "Matte." Haruka turned. "Hai?" "Please tell me where Usako is, I need to see her," Mamoru begged. Haruka knew where Usagi was, everyone except Mamoru knew. "I can't." "Onegaishimasu!" Haruka shook her head. "I can't, I promised Usagi and I can't go back on my word. All I can tell you is she is safe." Mamoru looked up at the sky as the glass door shut behind Haruka. "Usako." ***** Seiya knocked on Makoto's door. "Who's there?" Makoto called. She no longer opened her door to anyone, afraid that it might be Mamoru. "Seiya." The door cracked opened. "Come in, are you alone?" "Hai." The door was shut and locked behind him. "How's Usagi-chan?" Makoto looked down in dismay. "Same, if not worse. She cries all the time." "Any explanation as to why she thinks Mamoru is cheating on her? And with Setsuna of all people?" Seiya inquired. "Iie. How's Mamoru?" Seiya took the cup of rose tea that Makoto offered him and sat down at the table. "He's still on the balcony." "Still?" Makoto interrupted. "Yep." Makoto shook her head sadly. "Does he say anything?" "Only to Haruka, and then not much. He looks bad, real bad, Mako-chan. I think this is the first time I've seen Mamoru so torn up. I had Ami-chan come look at him twice, to make sure he was well physically, if not in the spirit. But she brings bad news." "Nani?" came a new voice. Both of them looked up to see Usagi standing in the bedroom doorway, her eyes filled with fresh tears. Neither had known she was listening. Seiya swallowed hard. "Well, I can tell you that he's caught a cold, on top of the fact that it's like he *needs* Usagi there. I don't know, maybe it's just me. I've always seen Mamoru as a strong man, and this kinda...scares me." "He said he doesn't love me," Usagi explained. Makoto stood up. "Usagi-chan, he loves you more than anything, how can you say that? And Usa-chan," Makoto pointed out the little fact that had bothered her for a week. "I was there. He never left your side, when did this happen?" "No, he only loves Setsuna. . .but why is he doing this? Why when he has her?" It was painfully obvious that Usagi was confused about Mamoru doing this. 'She really believes in this', Makoto thought sullenly, 'how do we convince her otherwise?' ***** "Lady!" Beryl called, demanding the general come forth. "Yes," she replied. Again bowing to the queen, again taking orders, again wishing she had never joined this stupid force. 'Too late, your in and you will die before she lets you go.' Beryl didn't respond for quite a few minutes. When finally she looked up, she smiled evilly. "So, she left him?" "Yes." "Where is she?" "Staying with one of the inner senshi, majesty." A glare came from the back of the room, silver eyes watching and listening intently to what was going to happen. "So what are you going to do now, Lady? Kill her? Or kidnap him first?" Lady thought for a long moment on the question. "Kill her first," she answered, hoping she had guessed correctly and wouldn't get blasted into nothingness. "Very well, proceed." As Lady left the room, so did another figure. He followed her. 'She has to fail, I can't let her near them,' his mind repeated over and over as he watched Lady. ***** "Why Luna? Why is this happening? I don't understand anything anymore," Usagi cried into her pillow. Luna sat on the dresser, watching with sad eyes. "I don't know what to tell you Usagi-chan." "Tell me what to do! Please, please, tell me how to find out the truth. You've always known what to do, but now. . .please tell me. . ." Usagi begged, sitting up to face Luna. Luna jumped down from the dresser. "Usagi-chan, I want to show you something, come with me." Slowly, hope brimming in her eyes, Usagi followed Luna into the living room where Makoto, Minako, Ami, Rei, Chibi-Usa, Seiya, Artemis and Haruka sat. Everyone looked up as she came in and sat. "Minako-chan, do you still have that video?" "Hai," Minako answered, looking through a drawer. A few minutes later she pushed a video into the VCR and hit play. On the television was a news report from the hospital the day Sailor Moon had been brought in. A woman in a short red shirt and matching jacket was covering the story. "Sir, may I have a moment with you?" she asked a pacing and VERY worried looking Tuxedo Kamen. "I have no comment," he replied and again started pacing. Usagi watched as Tuxedo Kamen blew up when the woman asked if Sailor Moon was too young for him. "I LOVE HER AND THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS!" he screamed in a rage at the woman. Usagi started to cry. "I don't know...I just don't know..." she mumbled, going back into the bedroom to try and figure out the mess her life had become. ***** Mamoru pulled out a picture that he had looked at over and over again in the last week. Usagi was smiling happily, on their wedding day. "Usako, god how I miss you. How I love you." Tears splattered on the picture, but he couldn't tell what was tears or what was the cold rain. "Mamoru, please come in, you'll catch your death out here," Ikuko asked. She had came to visit often, checking on her son-in-law. Only to find him on the balcony. Now he was still outside, in the pouring down cold rain. "Please Mamoru, dying wouldn't help matters any," she tried to reason. Mamoru looked up sadly to her, his haunted face would forever engrave it's self in Ikuko's mind. "Without Usako, I'm better off dead." Ikuko sighed and went back inside. "I don't know what to do." Hotaru looked up briefly from her manga and watched the cold drizzle out the glass door of the living room. Dark, forbidding clouds surfaced, causing occasional lighting and thunder to rumbled across the land. "At least you tried," Michiru told her reassuringly, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. Suddenly the balcony doors flew open and Mamoru ran in them and out the front door, a paniced look covering his features. ***** Lady could feel it. That strange feeling that you were being followed. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and goose bumps lined her arms. But as far as she could tell, the area was empty and she was alone. Below her, through a window on a large bed, was the Moon Princess and her daughter. Lady drew a knife out of thin air and held it tightly clutched in her hand. Inside another window, just left to the one holding the image of the sleeping future queen, was all the inner senshi, a lady, a man and two cats. With the right amount of patience, she knew she would be undetected as she rid the world of the two bothersome Sailor Moons. Sliding the window open, she stood in complete silence, waiting for any noise to indicate she was found. None came. In one swift movement, Lady grabbed Chibi-Usa and raised the knife to slash Usagi. Just as quickly, someone grabbed her from behind, causing her to miss her target of Usagi's chest and hit her arm. At the same time Mamoru grabbed onto Chibi-Usa. ***** Someone knocked frantically on Makoto's door. Before she had a chance to open it, Mamoru busted through and looked around like a mad man. "Where is she?! TELL ME!!" The feeling, of fear and forbidding was clutching his chest, Usagi was in danger and he knew it. Seiya and Makoto tried restraining Mamoru, but he would have none of that. Everyone was surprised when he easily removed himself from their grip and raced into the bedroom. "WHAT THE HE-" Makoto was cut short by a shrill scream. Everyone immediately got to their feet and in seconds were in the bedroom. Now only occupied by a sobbing Usagi. "What happened?" Ami asked, running over to Usagi's side, seeing she was covered in blood. "I. . .he took. . .Mamo. . .and. . .Chibi-Usa. . .my arm. . .where are they Ami-chan? Where are they?" Usagi said between gasps and sobs. Ami brought out her transformation pen. "Mercury Eterenal Make-Up!" Within seconds Sailor Mercury was standing beside Usagi, scanning her wound over. "Don't worry about me, WHERE IS MAMO-CHAN AND CHIBI-USA?!" Usagi screamed at the woman trying to wrap up her arm. "Usagi, fighting me, and screaming is NOT helping. We WILL find them, now HOLD STILL!" Usagi shrank back from the screaming Mercury and watched quietly as she was bandaged up. Hotaru, as silent as a kitten, came in the room. "Could I help?" she asked in a small voice. Mercury looked up, not even realizing that the rest of the senshi and Lights had followed Mamoru. "I don't see why not. For that matter I don't see why I didn't think of that sooner." She smiled at the child. Hotaru went over to Usagi and laid her hand on the older woman's arm. It started to grow warm until the wound completely disappeared. Usagi hugged her. "Thank you Hotaru-chan, it feels one hundred percent better." Hotaru gave a small smile. "Now," Minako asked gently to avoid another hysterical attack from Usagi, "What happened?" Usagi sniffed back some tears and looked sadly over at the now empty bed, where just a few minutes before Chibi-Usa had been laying peacefully. "This woman came threw the window and grabbed Chibi-Usa. . .and when Mamoru tried to grab her the man took them both! Both of them!" she cried. "My husband and my daughter are gone!" Minako hugged her. "Don't worry, we'll get them back." Usagi started to hyperventilate. "Mamo-chan. . .Chibi-Usa. . ." Sailor Pluto watched with worry as Minako and Mercury tried, and was unsuccessful at calming Usagi down. The longer Usagi had to think about what had happened, the worse she grew. Pluto, seeing no way to avoid it, bent down to whisper something in Hotaru's ear. Slowly the child walked up to the bed, arms reaching infront of her. Usagi quieted slightly, feeling a strange energy surround her. Mercury stood back and nodded at Hotaru, senceing what she was about to do. "Now sleep, Princess." Usagi closed her eyes and relaxed back onto the pillows. ***** "Your just as incompetent as my last set of generals!" Lady knew that was bad. Beryl's last set of four generals were all killed by the sailor senshi. 'Lucky me, I won't get to die in battle, I'm probably toast right now.' "Please my queen, give me one last chance, I will not fail you again." Beryl smirked at the woman before her. "You should have thought of that before you failed me the first time. I tell you to kill Princess Serenity, but no! Instead you let yourself be seen, and then bring back that damned daughter of hers...I will not allow you to make a mistake again." As the words left her throat a blast of energy hit Lady full blown, killing her instantly. "Never liked her to begin with. Now that that is done with; who would like to try their luck at the sailor brats next?" she asked to a room full of on lookers. Silence stretched on. "Well?" Beryl demanded. A man-around 6'4, shoulder length sandy blonde hair and evil green eyes-stepped forward. "I would my queen." Beryl studied him. He was a strong warrior, and long time follower of the Negaverse. "Then you know what to do, General Korntz?" The man bowed. "Yes, my queen." In the back of the room, unnoticed as always, silver eyes watched the scene unfold. 'Yes, that is perfect.' ***** Mamoru lifted his head and groaned. It felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. Even though his eyes were now open all he could see was a dim light coming from an open window far above him. The moon light provided enough of a glow for Mamoru to noticed that he was in a cell, barred doors in front of him and three walls of cement surrounding on the other sides. "How did I get here?" he tried to clear his mind. The memories came back to him, Chibi-Usa being taken, then him. Looking back and seeing Usagi on the bed crying after them. "Chibi-Usa?" he called in a loud whisper. Nothing. "Chibi-Usa?" he repeated louder. "It's no use," came a voice devoid of feelings. Mamoru squinted his eyes to make out a figure standing on the outside of the cell. "Who are you? Where are we? What have you done with my daughter?" he demanded. "My, my prince of Earth, so many questions. But all will be answered soon enough," the man replied, closing the door behind him, leaving Mamoru alone. Mamoru sat down on the small bed provided in the cell. Now what? On the bed was a small piece of paper. He recognized the small pretty writing. "Usako," he whispered, opening the paper to full size. Dear Mamoru, I am sorry it has to be this way. Please believe me when I say I love you, but no longer want to spend my life with you. I know this is a little excessive, but you and Chibi-Usa will be fine. The bottom had a small picture of a bunny, the way that Usagi signed her name. Mamoru felt the tears coming and made no attempt to stop them. "Why?" he asked to the empty room. He remembered how happy she had been before all of this happened, but just couldn't believe this was the truth. But there was no mistaking this letter. It was her writing, and no one could draw those little bunnies like Usagi could. "Why?" he repeated in a small voice. It didn't make sense, not after everything they had been through in the last week, now this? ***** Usagi sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her head felt heavy, like dead weight. The room was lightened only by the soft glow of the moon. She could hear voices outside. The guardians no doubt. Beside her was Mamoru's empty pillow. On it was a single piece of paper and a rose. Confused, Usagi sat up and opened the paper. It was written in that small but easy to read handwriting that Mamoru had. Dear Usagi, I know this is hard for you, but you will be fine. I had to take Chibi-Usa, she is after all my daughter. Please believe me, I used to love you, but now I only feel resentment. I know this is a little excessive, but you will be fine. The bottom was sighed in his unmistakable writing. Usagi felt herself whither. "Why?" she cried, not loud enough for anyone to hear her. "Why?" she repeated in a small voice. It couldn't be true...it couldn't...she refused to completly give into this. Something wasn't right. ***** The living room of the apartment was filled with soft voices. Everyone still somewhat in shock from the swiftness of the events leading up to Usagi still in the room, crying for Mamoru and Chibi-Usa. Seiya left the room only to come back and hand Taiki and Yaten a brown heavy weight evelope. "What's this?" Yaten asked, reading the front that said 'open only in an emergency.' Seiya took his own envelope and stuffed it in his pocket. "It's our powers, so if needed, we can fight with the rest of the senshi," he replied sadly. Minako hugged Yaten. "Gomen Yaten-chan, I know you wanted a peaceful life." "It's not your fault Minako-chan, this is a surprise to all of us. I'm just glad we can help now." "Yeah, we're going to need all the help we can get," Ami said absent mindedly. "What you got Ami-chan?" Rei asked, coming over and looking over her shoulder at the small computer screen. Luna and Artemis was in the other room on the big computer that was linked to the moon's sub-computer system. "Well I can detect a portal, it was in the bedroom about two hours ago." "Can we get it reopened?" Makoto asked, popping her knuckles. Ami shook her head. "I don't believe I have enough energy with my computer, we'll have to combine powers." "Let's do it then!" Haruka said, jumping up. Michiru went in the bedroom to wake Usagi. She came out a moment later with two letters, the ginzuishou and a rose. "Shimatta!" she said through clenched teeth. "Nani?" Haruka asked, taking a second look at the articles in her hands, her eyes widening at the sight of the ginzuishou. "Usagi's gone," she dead panned. "She's what?!" the group started. "Gone, there's a letter from Mamoru saying he didn't love Usagi and there is one from Usagi telling us goodbye and leaving the ginzuishou for Chibi-Usa when we find her." "But. . .that don't make any sense! We all know for a fact that he loves her!" Minako shrieked. "Well we have to find Usagi, we can't take a chance that the Negaverse will get to her," Rei stated, feeling like she could scream at all the trouble they had been having with the Negaverse, again. ***** Usagi walked down the streets of Tokyo silently. She wore one of Mamoru's jackets over her simple summer dress and she was quite cold. She started to go into the park, but decided against it. Too many memories of her and Mamoru laying in the grass at night, watching the stars. The same stars that now shined down on her crying form. The wind blew harder and Usagi tucked the jacket tighter around her, again cursing the fact that she didn't bring a heavier coat, or had worn jeans instead. Usagi reached in her lunar space pocket before remembering she had left her crystal for Chibi-Usa. "Great, that's no help." A light shinned in front of her and she stepped back. "What's the matter Rabbit? Has your husband and friends left you?" Usagi looked up at the man floating above her. "Who. . .who are you?" she stuttered, wishing more than anything that she had the crystal with her. "Why, I am General Korntz, I understand that you are all alone princess." "I'm not alone!" Usagi said, despite the fact that she was obviously alone. "My friends will be here any minute!" Korntz shook his head in mock sadness. "Dear sweet princess, if your friends really cared, wouldn't they had already been here?" Usagi never stopped to think about it. "Of course they care!" Korntz's face turned angry. "Fine Rabbit, you want to do this the hard way? So be it." He grabbed her arm and disappeared. ***** Mamoru sat up when he heard voices. "You let me go you evil thing! That is no way to treat a princess, BAKA!" Mamoru recognized that voice, it was Usako; hot as a spit fire. A man stepped in the room, opened the cell door and pushed her in roughly. Usagi landed on her bottom and glared at the man. "Now shut up brat, or Queen Beryl will kill you." Usagi stood up defiantly. "You tell Queen Beryl that I will kill her with my bare hands and she won't come back to life this time!" "Whatever." he spit and closed the door. As soon as he was out of sight, Usagi fell to her knees, crying. Mamoru stared at her, not believing what he just witnessed. Usagi turned around and looked at him briefly. Mamoru misunderstood her look of hurt for anger and looked away. Usagi moved over in the corner of the cell, pulled her knees up and cried herself to sleep. Mamoru watched for a while until he was completely sure she was asleep before going over and gently lifting her. He placed her on the bed and gently covered her up with the blanket provided. "Usako," he mouthed. Usagi opened her eyes to look at Mamoru. "What are you doing?" "Sleeping on the floor." He shrugged. "No, your not." "Yes I am, please don't argue with me, your not sleeping on the floor, so I am." Usagi stood up. "If your sleeping on the floor, then so am I." Mamoru looked up, angrily, "IIE. Lay down and stop arguing with me." "There's enough room for both of us on the bed, I'll stay on my side," she spit, crossing her arms over her chest. He sighed, knowing there was no way he was changing her mind. "Fine," he gave in and laid down on the cot, as far away from Usagi as he could. He didn't want her mad at him. Usagi watched him make sure he wasn't too near her. She turned over and faced the wall. The silence was interrupted by a small sob that Usagi tried to hide. Mamoru seen her shoulders shaking and felt his heart break. "Usagi?" Usagi winced at the sound of Mamoru using her full name and started crying harder. Suddenly she felt a hand slowly touch her shoulder and she turned over to see his concerned face. On complete impulse she buried herself in his chest. "Mamoru, I know you hate me, but please, please just hold me. Just for tonight, I'm so scared! Even if you don't love me, do this for me one more time. After that I'll never ask for another thing from you, I promise," she sobbed. Mamoru looked at her, confused, wondering why she thought he hated her. Deciding she was too upset to question it tonight, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as close to him as he could manage without squeezing her small body too tightly. He ran his hands through her hair and kissed her head. "Usako, my sweet Usako, please don't cry," he cooed, pressing himself closer to her. ***** "Ami-chan, have you found her?" Rei asked over the communicator. "Iie, are any of you having any luck?" "Iie," came back eight voices. "Damn it, where is she?" Minako suddenly screamed. "Matte! I've got something!" Mercury started, then began typing on her lap top. "About a fourth mile north of Tokyo park, there was a portal opened here about a half hour ago. Get over here minna!" "SOU!" Mercury typed faster on her computer. "Almost. . .come on you baka..." Pluto was surprised at Mercury's loss of control. It showed the stress they all were under at the moment. "Slow down Mercury, your only going to make more mistakes if you hurry too much," Pluto warned her. "Just take a deep breath and concentrate on whatever it is your trying to do." Mercury stopped and did as Pluto said, then started typing again. Within minutes all of the sailor senshi and lights had gathered around, waiting not so patiently for Mercury to tell them their next move. ***** Usagi was dreaming about that days events. The note from Mamoru, then she was on the street, except in her nightmare, the guy didn't kidnap her, he killed her. She let out a fierce, fear filled scream. "What the hell?" Mamoru jumped up, bringing Usagi with him, and in doing so, woke her up from the nightmare she was having. She calmed down a bit when she remembered where she was, but pulled back slightly from Mamoru's embrace. "Gomen, I was having that dream again," she explained, hoping that he wouldn't get disgusted with her and let her go. Mamoru done the exact opposite, pulling her closer and kissing her forehead. "It's okay, I'm with you, nothing or no one will hurt you, I promise." Usagi swallowed her confusion and gratefully laid her head up against his chest. "Mamoru-san?" she asked uncertainly. Mamoru tightened his grip. "Hai?" "I have to know Mamoru, please, tell me. . ." she trailed off, hoping just to leave it there. Not really sure why she had risked making him angry to ask why he was being nice. But she had his full attention. "Know what?" "Nothing." "No, tell me," he insisted. She swallowed hard. "I. . .it's just that, well. I didn't expect you to be so nice to me, and I was wondering why. . .but you don't have to answer. I'm just happy that you are holding me, even though you hate me and all. . ." she left the sentence hanging, trying to hold back the flood of tears that were threatening. Mamoru tried to work through that statement. Not understanding one bit, but determined to, he pulled back from Usagi's warm body to tilt her head up to him. "Usa, what do you mean? You know, I hope, that I could NEVER hate you. I love you more than anything in this world." Usagi's eyes went wide, was she dreaming? "Mamoru. . .but. . .your letter said that you hated me, I thought. . ." she went quiet as she considered what might have happened. "Did you get a letter from me?" His puzzled eyes meet hers. "Yes," he whispered. 'Now you blew it baka!' he thought as she looked up at him, but he was surprised by the tears in them. "Mamo-chan, I love you so much!" she squealed, hugging him hard. Mamoru was taken by surprise by her affection, but wasn't about to turn it down. "Usa, I don't understand, what happened?" "The letter wasn't from me Mamo-chan, and the letter I got wasn't from you. . .I hope," she added, looking up frightened at him. "What letter?" he inquired. That was all Usagi needed to hear. "Oh Mamo-chan!" She hugged him again. "Someone is trying to break us up, and to think it almost worked!" Mamoru again tried to work through that slur of words. "The letter wasn't from you?" he asked in disbelief. "Iie! I would never! Hell I don't even know what it said, but I wouldn't anyway!" she cried. "What did it say?" Mamoru brought the letter out of his back pocket and handed it to her. In the moon light that was seeping through, she read it and gasped. "Mamo-chan, it looks just like my handwriting!" "Don't I know it," he replied, took the paper, shredded it and kissed Usagi gently. Slowly the slight glow of the moon coming through the barrced window found two people, content in each others arms. ***** "What the hell happened? Damn that moon brat!" Beryl cursed. Korntz knew that from the love scene he had silently witnessed, they would never be broken by Beryl. However, he knew better than to utter those words. Instead he watched as Beryl blew her top, again, over the prince's love for the moon rabbit. "I put them in the same cell to fight! Not to make up! DAMN HER!" She spit, looking in her crystal ball at the two sleeping figures. "Get her out of there!" "Yes, my queen," Korntz replied, disappearing into nothingness. He reappeared outside the cell doors and looked at the cot holding the earth prince and moon princess. He scanned the area to be sure that Beryl was not watching him. Satisfied that she was not, he opened the bar door. "Prince of Earth," he said in a loud whisper. Mamoru looked up and pulled Usagi closer. "Nani?" "Come here." Mamoru glared at him. Korntz looked around nervously. "Look prince, do you want to get out of here alive?" That got Mamoru's attention and carefully he left Usagi's side. As soon as she no longer felt his body heat, Usagi woke up. "Mamo-chan, where are you going?" she asked sleepily. He leaned down and kissed her lips lightly. "Don't worry, I'll be right back, ne?" Usagi pulled the covers closer to her and closed her eyes once more. Relieved that she didn't turn over to see the general standing in the cell, Mamoru carefully approached the man. In a whisper the general began explaining to Mamoru what Beryl was planning. "She is going to use the small rabbit as bait for you and the moon rabbit. I want to help you to escape." "Why?" Mamoru asked cautiously. Korntz shook his head. "You are smart, Prince of Earth, to question help, especially from the enemy. I have to admit to you I am not all I seem to be, I have feelings, unlike the other brainless windbags running around here. I also used to. . .know. . .the princess, on the moon. Just listen carefully." Mamoru nodded, reluctantly agreeing that this man was the only hope they had. "The small rabbit is being held in Beryl's chambers. I can tell you how to get there, but actually freeing yourself from this cell will be your problem." Quickly he explained how to get to the place where Chibi-Usa was being held. He walked forward in the cell. "Now I must take the rabbit." "Iie!" Mamoru growled. "I will help you, but I will NOT lose my own life in the process. Beryl commanded me to take the rabbit from you, and I must," he explained. He went over to pick Usagi up. Mamoru picked up a rock and hit him in the back of the head with it. "Gomen, I appreciate your help, but I will not let you take her." Usagi woke up and started to scream before Mamoru's hand came over her mouth. "Don't say a word, just listen, ne?" She nodded her head and Mamoru moved his hand away. "I know where Chibi-Usa is, we have to hurry. We don't have long before Beryl figures Usagi stood and grabbed his hand and the two hurried out of the cell and out the door. A lone figure emerged from the shadows and watched them leave, a smile playing on his full lips. ***** Mercury focused her computer on the exact spot that the portal had opened earlier. "Ok, we need to combine powers to open it and keep it open long enough for all of us to go through. Just in case we don't all make it, Luna knows how to open it from the control room." "Then why don't we just use the portal from the control room?" Venus asked. Mercury glanced up. "Because it doesn't open in the same place as this one does. From here we have a better chance of finding Usagi-chan." "Oh," Minako mumbled, almost understanding. Luna came up with a locket in her mouth and gave it to Pluto. "Make sure to give this to Usagi-chan as soon as possible." Pluto nodded and tucked it away in her lunar space pocket. "Let's do this!" Minako shouted and everyone joined hands around the spot where the Negaverse portal would open. ************************************************* note: I have no idea what the starlights say to activate their powers, so I made some up. ^_^ ************************************************* "VENUS PLANET POWER!" "MARS PLANET POWER!" "JUPITER PLANET POWER!" "MERCURY PLANET POWER!" "URANUS PLANET POWER!" "NEPTUNE PLANET POWER!" "PLUTO PLANET POWER!" "SATURN PLANET POWER!" "FIGHTER STAR POWER!" "HEALER STAR POWER!" "MAKER STAR POWER!" A black circle slowly formed and grew larger until it was about five feet tall and ten feet wide. "NOW!" Mercury screamed, jumping through the portal. Everyone else followed.